05.31.2012 Community By the Book: When we must go down to the sea Probably, everybody needs to run away to sea at least once. In the first chapter of Herman Melville’s ‘Moby Dick,’ our narrator, Ishmael, explains it as “a way I...
05.06.2012 Community By the Book: Tuning in to what nature has to say We have an old copy of ‘Petersen’s Field Guide to the Birds.’ We’ve spotted most of the usual suspects, and also have seen some unusual ones. An American kestrel...
03.23.2012 Community By the Book: Keeping up as the book world changes Birds do it every year, this spring migrating thing, with its accompanying twittering racket. Public librarians do it once every two years at the Public Library Association conference, this...
03.02.2012 Community By the Book: Of ducks, detectives and whaling disasters On Jan. 10, 1992, 500 miles south of Attu Island, a cargo ship labored in a storm that was generating 35-foot waves. As the ship pitched and yawed 12...
02.04.2012 Community By the Book: Songs that tell us stories about love And so it is in human life the goal To seek, forever seek, the kindred soul Jose Marti St. Valentine’s Day is next week — the day that urges...
01.21.2012 Community By the Book: In 2012, broaden your reading horizons January is the month for resolutions, for fresh starts, for trying to get things right. Mostly we focus on our bodies, trying to lose weight, get fitter, stronger and...
01.09.2012 Community By the Book: Literary menagerie equals good reading “War Horse” opened recently to rave reviews. A Spielberg movie, a Broadway play, from a book by Michael Morpurgo — eat your hearts out, all you authors out there....
12.25.2011 Community By the Book: Book buying isn’t taking a holiday I don’t know why people always say “I hate to say I told you so” when it’s perfectly clear that “I told you so” are some of the sweetest...
11.19.2011 Community By the Book: Writers don’t just write; they also talk One of the best things about going to the New York Library Association conference in Saratoga Springs a few weeks ago was the chance to listen to the writers...
11.04.2011 News By the Book: What’s occupying writers nowadays There is a wonderful new website called OccupyWriters.com that has an ever-lengthening alphabetical list of writers who are in support of Occupy Wall Street and a few meditations on...